Rose Colored Glasses

The beginning of a relationship is full of excitement and emotions. You put your best forward and the other person can seem like the most wonderful person to you. Yet there is a point in a relationship that the “rose colored” glasses come off. You both see one another in a more accurate light. As you grow in a relationship you see more of each others strengths but also each others weaknesses. The best of a relationships are still make up of two broken and sinful people. Praise God that He redeems us and transforms us and that His love is displayed through relationship. Yet, in real authentic relationships our true self comes forth.

A friend of mine reminded me a few weeks ago that there will be a point in my relationship with Stephen when the rose colored glasses come off. That is just a natural progression of a relationship.

Yet as I thought about this idea of the “rose colored” glasses I started thinking about Christmas. You might ask me, how would rose colored glasses make me think of Christmas?

When the rose colored glasses come off in a relationship, the other person sees a more accurate picture of you. You see a more accurate picture of them. Based on this more realistic picture of who they are, you may make a decision if you want to continue in the relationship. You may realize the work that may be involved in the relationship. The other person is going to see the “real” you.

This makes me realize and appreciate the beauty of Christmas. God looked down upon us and He saw each one of us for exactly who we are. In the light of His perfection and holiness, He saw us in complete sin and brokenness. How great was His love for us; yet we were separate from Him because of His holiness. We could not enter into a relationship with Him- His holiness and our sinfulness opposed one anther. We were not simply separated from God for this moment but would be separated from Him for all eternity. Our minds can not comprehend eternity. Never ending separation from God. Yet God, so rich in love, decided to send His only Son Jesus to earth as a baby. Not the solution you would expect to save a world from sin. An innocent little baby. Yet, Jesus who was fully God and fully man would one day die on the cross. Jesus became sin for us. He was our perfect sacrifice. He took away our every sin and made a way so that we could enter into a relationship with a holy and perfect God.

For when I accept Christ Jesus as my Lord and Savior, God now looks upon me and He no longer sees me. He does not see a broken and sinful person. Because I accepted Christ as my Savior, God now looks upon me and He sees Christ. God now sees me through the lense of Christ. God sees me as perfect, holy, blameless, righteous, forgiven. Because of Christ Jesus, I can now approach the holy throne of God with complete confidence. Because of Christ Jesus, I can now call the holy and righteous Almighty God, my Abba Father. Because of Christ Jesus, I have a personal relationship with God and I know without a doubt that I will be spending all eternity in heaven with my Beloved Lord.

Rose Colored Glasses. When it comes to my relationship with God I have something so much better than rose colored glasses. I have Jesus Christ. I do not need to fear that when God sees the real me... when He sees my sin, my mistakes, my brokenness... when He sees who I really am that He will reject me. I do not need to fear rejection, condemnation, or shame. For I have something so much better than rose colored glasses. Whenever God looks upon me He sees me through Christ. God will always look upon me with complete acceptance. Nothing I can ever do will change this powerful truth. God will always see me as He sees Christ. Holy, blameless, pure, righteous.

And this gives me a new appreciation and gratitude for Christmas. That God so rich in His love sent His only Son to a broken world as an innocent little baby. Jesus left the throne of heaven to come to this earth, to feel our pain and our suffering. To walk among us. To show us the ultimate sacrifice of love.

When it comes to my relationship with God, I have something so much better than rose colored glasses. I have His perfect and holy Son, Christ Jesus.